The Last Rose of Shanghai
Ratings3
Average rating4.3
In Japanese-occupied Shanghai, two people from different cultures are drawn together by fate and the freedom of music... 1940. Aiyi Shao is a young heiress and the owner of a formerly popular and glamorous Shanghai nightclub. Ernest Reismann is a penniless Jewish refugee driven out of Germany, an outsider searching for shelter in a city wary of strangers. He loses nearly all hope until he crosses paths with Aiyi. When she hires Ernest to play piano at her club, her defiance of custom causes a sensation. His instant fame makes Aiyi's club once again the hottest spot in Shanghai. Soon they realize they share more than a passion for jazz--but their differences seem insurmountable, and Aiyi is engaged to another man. As the war escalates, Aiyi and Ernest find themselves torn apart, and their choices between love and survival grow more desperate. In the face of overwhelming odds, a chain of events is set in motion that will change both their lives forever. From the electrifying jazz clubs to the impoverished streets of a city under siege, The Last Rose of Shanghai is a timeless, sweeping story of love and redemption.
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I like the history but the actual story was tedious. Insta love is not my thing and felt I'd be better served reading a non fiction about Shanghai in this time period. Plus I rather read a book about not so good looking ppl using their smarts to survive then beautiful ppl using their beauty/smarts to survive. Ymmv but I always cringe when main characters go on about their own beauty.
I really liked this book. I have read a lot of historical fiction books about WWII, but they're usually set on Europe, mostly France. This is the fist time I read a WWII book set on the pacific theater. I loved the impossible love story between Aiyi and Ernest, which was full of hope and regret. I was really touched by the way their brains were telling them to stay away from each other, but their hearts were constantly reaching out. Theirs is such a bittersweet story.
This was the book discussed by the book club in my local library for the month of May, 2022. It was a great experience because Weina Dai Randel was able to attend to talk about the book and answer our questions.
